Lyanna’s POV

My heart beat rapidly against my rib cage as I awaited Eldric’s arrival at the palace. Panic coiled tightly in my chest, because he had sent Karl back with the other men, and that alone unsettled me. Still, I clung to hope, forcing myself to believe everything would be fine, because Karl had asked me to trust him, and I wanted to believe that trust would not betray me.

“When is he going to be back?” I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper as I paced restlessly around the ...